Comcast and Liberty Global sign global Wi-Fi sharing deal

Determined to expand the global reach of their respective Wi-Fi networks to, among other things, better enable the effectiveness of TV Everywhere, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and Liberty Global have forged an agreement that will let their subscribers access each other's Wi-Fi networks.

The deal will commence with a trial later this year and go wide in 2015. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Under the agreement, Comcast's U.S. subscribers will be able to access Liberty Global's nearly 2.5 million Wi-Fi hotspots across Europe when they visit the continent.

Liberty Global's Euro customers, meanwhile, will be able to access Comcast's more than 3 million Xfinity WiFi hotspots when they come to the U.S. (Comcast has pledged to up that number to nearly 8 million by the end of the year.)

"This is our first step in bringing global Wi-Fi connectivity to our customers," said Tom Nagel, senior VP of strategic initiatives for Comcast Cable, in a statement. "We are excited to be working with Liberty Global and see this partnership as a great opportunity to further expand our Wi-Fi footprint and offer fast and secure wireless broadband service to our customers, not only while they are here in the United States, but also while they are traveling overseas."

Added Balan Nair, executive VP and CTO at Liberty Global, in a statement: "We are delighted to join forces with Comcast to begin building worldwide Wi-Fi connectivity and we hope that this will create interest from other cable operators to join us. We are offering Wi-Fi service in a growing number of countries across Europe and are excited to be able to offer our European customers a valuable and innovative new service in the United States on Xfinity WiFi."

For more:
- read this press release
- read this Wall Street Journal story
- read this Reuters story

Related links:
Comcast opens Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots to non-subscribers during Sochi Olympics
Some Comcast Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots are free for all during Sochi's Winter Olympics
Comcast planning 8 million Wi-Fi hotspots in 19 major cities by year-end